Jesus in the Old Testament

1. Direct Prophecies About the Messiah’s Suffering and Death

·      Isaiah 53: 3-12:  “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities… He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors.”

·      Psalm 22: 1-18: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me… they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

·      Daniel 9: 26: “And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.”

·      Zechariah 12: 10: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child.”

·      Zechariah 13: 7: “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me, declares the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”

2. Typological Foreshadowing of the Messiah’s Death

·      Genesis 3: 15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

·      Genesis 22: 1-14: Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac foreshadows the sacrificial death of the Messiah: “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”

·      Exodus 12: 1-14: The Passover lamb: “Your lamb shall be without blemish… the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.”

(↑ Foreshadowing the death of the sinless Lamb of God.)

·      Leviticus 16: 15-22: The Day of Atonement: “He shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil.”

(↑ Foreshadowing the Messiah’s death as the ultimate atonement for sin.)

·      Numbers 21: 8-9: The bronze serpent: “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

(↑ Foreshadowing Christ being “lifted up” on the cross.)

·      Psalm 69: 19-21: “You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you… They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”

·      Jonah 1: 17: Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish: “And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

(↑ Foreshadowing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.)

·      2 Samuel 7: 12-16: God’s covenant with David: “I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men.”

(↑ The suffering servant is implied in the fulfillment of David’s line.)

·      Isaiah 50: 6: “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.”

3. Messianic Psalms Referencing Suffering and Death

·      Psalm 16: 10: “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”

(↑ Implying death, but with a promise of resurrection.)

·      Psalm 31: 5: “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”

(↑ Words echoed by Jesus on the cross.)

·      Psalm 41: 9: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”

(↑ Foreshadowing Judas’ betrayal.)

·      Psalm 88: 6-8: “You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep… You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them.”

4. Other Prophetic Indications of the Messiah’s Death

·      Micah 5: 1: “With a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.”

·      Isaiah 42: 1-4: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

(↑ Hints at the Messiah’s gentle, suffering servant role.)

·      Lamentations 1: 12: “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.”

·      Amos 8: 9-10: “‘And on that day,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight… I will make it like the mourning for an only son.’”